"Scattered the powder-bags?" said a voice from the door, and the colonel stepped into the circle of light spread by the doctor's lamp. "Tell me what you know about this explosion, Lennox. How came you to be there instead of visiting your posts?" Lennox briefly explained, and the colonel stood frowning. "I don't see all this very clearly," said the colonel. "Somebody stealing the corn, and you were tracing the thieves and came upon a train laid up to my quarters. There was a sentry there; what was he about?" "No, sir: no sentry there," said Lennox. "Nonsense! I gave orders for a man to be posted there, and it was done." "I beg pardon, sir," said Lennox. "No one was there to challenge us." "Indeed!" said the colonel.--"Who's that? Oh, Mr Dickenson, examine the place as soon as it is light. There was a man there, for I saw him myself. But now then, I cannot understand how the enemy can have stolen through the lines and carried the powder where it was found. What do you say, Lennox?" "Nothing, sir. My head is so confused that I can hardly recall how it all happened." "Of course. Well, you, sergeant. You said that you scattered the powder-bags." "Yes, sir. Threw 'em about as far as we could." "We?" "Yes, sir. Mr Lennox and me." "After the train was fired?" "Oh yes, sir; it was coming on at a great rate." "Humph! Then you did a very brave action." "Oh no, sir," said the sergeant. "We were obliged to. Why, we should, as Dr Emden says, sir, have been blown all to bits if we hadn't. We were obliged to do something sharp." "Yes," said the colonel dryly. "It was sharp work, sergeant, and you saved my life and the major's." "Did we, sir? Very glad of it, sir." "But about how the powder was conveyed there. I can see nothing for it but treachery within the camp.--Of course!--Those Boers!" "But they had gone, sir," said Lennox. "Yes, and left us a memento of their visit." "Beg pardon, sir," said Dickenson. "Yes? Go on, Mr Dickenson." "I think I can see through the mystery." "Then you have better eyes than I have," said the colonel. "Proceed." "It was one of their tricks, sir," said Dickenson. "They came into camp with their wagons and waited their chance." "But the powder, man, the powder?" said the colonel impatiently. "So many bags of it, sir, each inside one of the sacks of maize; and the night they were to go away they slit their sacks open, took out the powder, and planted it at the back of your quarters, sir." "That will do, Mr Dickenson," said the colonel dryly. "Beg pardon, sir. I thought it a very likely explanation of the business." "Too likely, Mr Dickenson," said the colonel, "for it is undoubtedly the right one. The misfortune is that the treacherous scoundrels have got away. Bah! They're worse than savages! Well, let us all be thankful for our escape. I thought I had taken every precaution I could, but one never knows. Then you will not have to go into hospital, Lennox?"